African Pygmy Hedgehog

Hi I'm Fluffy! I'm an African Pygmy Hedgehog, one of 15 species around the world. I love to go hunting for delicious insects to eat, but only at night because I'm nocturnal. My nose is so sensitive that I can smell my meals even if they're hiding underground. I also have excellent hearing to avoid bad guys, but if they get too close I can just roll into a ball and let the 7000 quills that cover my body protect me. Not even lions or hyenas will mess with me then! Some say that hedgehogs are the most primitive animals on Earth today, but I say we're pretty darn cool.

Fun Facts about Fluffy...

Fluffy's favorite afternoon snacks are delicious mealworms. His owners really pamper him with weekly pedicures and baths to make sure he's clean and happy!

Two-Toed Sloth

Yaaaawwwnnnn, hi I'm Sienna. You're lucky you caught me between naps since I'm usually only awake 4-6 hours per day. I live in the rain forests of Central and South America but I'm a good hider so you have to look hard if you want to find me. I spend most of my life hanging upside down from the trees. I eat, mate, and even sleep upside-down! I'm not ashamed to say that my family are the slowest mammals on earth. We are so slow that algae will grow on us but we like it because it helps us hide so we can sleep undisturbed. Speaking of sleep, I have some catching up to do…

Fun Facts about Sienna...

Sienna achieves a level of relaxation that even the laziest teenagers could never imagine. Her favorite sleep buddy is her stuffed teddy bear. She's affectionate also and likes sharing eskimo kisses with the dogs.

Bennett's Wallaby

G'day I'm Sheila and I'm a Bennett's Wallaby! Like my mate the Kangaroo, I'm a marsupial and my mum carried me around in her pouch until I was about 10 months old. That was the life! I don't eat shrimp from the barbie because I'm an herbivore, but I do love grass, roots and some fruits. If I hear or smell bad guys coming, I can run away or even swim. I've heard of some wallabies running at 22 MPH, not too shabby!

Fun Facts about Sheila...

Sheila is hoppin' crazy! She hops around the house and splashes in the kiddie pool in the summer. After the pool she loves chin-scratches and some cheerios to eat while in front of the TV.

African Crested Porcupine

Ooh! Be careful! My name is Sahara. I'm an African Crested Porcupine, the largest porcupine species in the world. I'm also the largest rodent in Africa. I have sharp claws and big front teeth that help me dig up and chew the roots I love to eat. No, that's not a tutu I'm wearing; those are actually my quills that I use for protection against predators such as lions, leopards and hyenas. Despite what most people think, I can't actually shoot my quills, but that'll be our little secret.

Fun Facts about Sahara...

Sahara's favorite snacks are bananas. Sahara is affectionate and loves sitting in laps. When she's not out and about on walks, she likes to sleep the day away in her cozy den.

Reindeer

Scientific name: Rangifer tarandus

Hi there! I'm 'Jingles' and I'm a reindeer! I'm considered to be a mythical creature to some but I am a very real and do exist. I am also known as the caribou. I can be found in parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Europe and Asia. I like to eat grasses and lichen as well as special grains. Even though I'm a female reindeer I do have antlers that I use for protection and I lose them and grow new ones every year. I have special hooves that allow me to walk over snow and swim for long distances. I can also run up to 50 miles an hour.

Fun Facts about Jingles...

She is very curious by nature and always follows people around. She enjoys staying cool in the summer by hanging out in the shade and then likes to walk around at night. She also likes to knock an inflatable ball around using her antlers.

Red Kangaroo

G'day I'm 'Milana' a Red Kangaroo! I'm a marsupial and my mum carried me around in her pouch until I was about 10 months old. That was the life! I don't eat shrimp from the barbie because I'm an herbivore, but I do love grass, roots and some fruit. If I hear or smell bad guys coming, I can hop away or even swim. I've heard of some kangaroos hopping at 40 MPH, not too shabby!

Fun Facts about Milana...

'Milana' is chillin! She lays out in the sun and enjoys a splash in the pond. After the pond she loves chin-scratches and some fresh grass to eat.

Kinkajou

Scientific name: Potos flavus

Oh hi there! My name is Milo! I know I look like a special kind of monkey but I'm actually a kinkajou, closely related to my cousins the raccoons. My native home is South America where I help to pollinate flowers with my tongue that's five inches long! People nicknamed me the “honey bear” because I love all things sweet, especially fruits, but I'll also snack on a couple lizards or bird eggs here and there. My back feet are also unique in the fact that they can turn completely backwards so I can go headfirst down a tree. I do have very sharp claws and teeth but I'm very careful with them. My absolute favorite thing is to curl up on the couch to sleep during the day until it's time for me to wake up at night. And I almost forgot! My tail is prehensile, which means I can use it as a fifth limb to hold onto branches and other things.

Fun Facts about Milo...

Milo's favorite fruit is bananas and he loves being scratched behind the ears when it's his nap time. When first waking up he'll stretch out his legs and yawn with his long tongue sticking out while his trainer can't help but say aw!

Ball Python

Hssss I'm Bikram, a Ball Python. I get my name because if feel threatened, I will roll up into a tight ball. I don't have ears so I smell out my food with my tongue. Because I continue to grow throughout my life, I will shed my old skin every 4-6 weeks for a newer prettier one. I've heard that Cleopatra thought my ancestors were so pretty that she wore them on her ankles, wrists and neck as jewelry!

Fun Facts about Bikram...

Bikram was named after the the yoga practice and his extreme flexibility. He's so flexible and strong that he is able to climb very high without the use of arms or legs! When not showing off his climbing skills, bikram loves to snack on small rats.

Bearded Dragon

G'day I'm Elliott, another Aussie! I'm a dragon, but not the kind that breathes fire. I'm a Bearded Dragon! My friends call me Beardy because when I get excited or want to show dominance, I can expand a spiny pouch under my jaw that looks like a beard. During the day I love to sunbathe and will flatten myself like a pancake to absorb as many rays as possible. This flattening prevents me from fitting in the mouth of any hungry predators!

Fun Facts about Elliott...

Elliot is very curious and outgoing and loves to ride on Robert's shoulders while taking a walk. Elliot's name comes from the movie "Pete's dragon".

Columbian Red Tailed Boa

Hssss I'm Medusa. You can find my family in South America; that's how I get my name. I'm not venomous, but I do give a mighty powerful hug! When I get hungry, I slither in search of scrumptious meals like frogs, rodents, and birds.

Fun Facts about Medusa...

Medusa's favorite foods are large rodents. If he snacks too much, he'll jump into the bathtub for a couple laps to work it off!

Blue & Gold Macaws

Caw! I'm a Macaw! My buddy Legend and I are native to Central and South America. We love to eat fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, and some insects. Even though we're big and beautiful now, it wasn't always that way. We were actually hatched without all of our beautiful feathers! Now that we're so pretty, we like a lot of attention so if we're ignored be prepared for a screeching Macaw cacophony. If we feel bored, we might entertain ourselves by using your furniture as our chew-toy but we'd prefer to play with our bird-toys. We are very intelligent and are capable of learning to mimic sounds and solve different puzzles. No bird-brains here!

Fun Facts about Legend & Phoenix...

Legend loves to get clean by jumping in the shower and washing off.He's a real showman and loves to show off for new friends. His favorite things are wooden toys to chew and destroy, ice cubes on hot summer days and singing in the rain. What a wonderful feeling!

Phoenix is full of energy and loves to play all day long. Her favorite activities include hanging up side down, acting like a clown and stealing as many of Legend's toys as possible.

Red Tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

'Diablo' is a Red-Tailed Hawk who is an incredible survivor. At around a year old, one of his wings was severely injured. He was rehabilitated through the Texas State Aquarium’s Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation Program. Unfortunately his wing never fully recovered, but that doesn’t keep him from being the incredible creature that he naturally is. Now as a member of the Zoomagination family, we have the distinct honor of educating people about this Texas native.

Peregrine X Barbary Falcon

Falco peregrinus pelegrinoides

'Twister' is a Peregrine X Barbary Falcon who is native to Northern and Eastern Africa. He is a powerful predator with great stamina and acrobatic abilities. Being able to fly over 200 miles per hour his speed is unmatched in the animal kingdom.

Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula

Hello, I'm Rosie, a Rose Hair Tarantula from Chile. My cousins and I can be found in the deserts of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Many people are frightened of me because I'm venomous, but in reality I'm more scared of humans than they are of me. When I feel threatened I can flick hairs from my body, which can irritate your skin and eyes. If one of my legs gets hurt in a fight, I can actually grow a new one after a few molts. In the wild I prefer to be alone, but with some tender loving care I make a very sweet pet.

Fun Facts about Rosie...

Rosie loves when Jennie feeds her crickets, they're one of her favorite meals. With the proper attention, Rosie and other members of her family actually make very gentle, sweet pets!

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

I'm Maddie, a Hissing Cockroach. My brothers and sisters are very environmentally conscious and survive by “recycling” decaying plant and animal matter in the tropical forests and riverbanks of Madagascar. When disturbed or threatened we voice our displeasure by pushing air out of our body through holes called spiracles. This produces a loud hissing sound that can be heard up to 12 feet away! You can identify my brothers from my sisters by their heads – the boys have horns & hairy antennae while the girls have smooth heads and antennae.

Fun Facts about Maddie...

Maddie and her family like to hang out in cool dark places. They don't have wings like other species so they like to crawl around on the ground. One of Maddie's favorite toys are shoots made from empty paper towel rolls. Her feet are like velcro which allow her to climb onto interesting new places......like your arm!

Blue Tongue Skink

Boo! Did I scare you? Well there's nothing to be afraid of — that's just the color of my tongue. My name is 'Lilly' and I'm a Blue Tongue Skink. My species is one of the largest in the world. I can't run very fast to escape from predators because of my short legs, so I stick my tongue out to scare them away. I can also lose my tail to distract predators and sneak away, but don't worry because I'll grow a new one in about a year. I love to snack on bugs, grubs and slugs, but I also eat plants and veggies. I enjoy sunbathing, but sometimes cool off under a rock if I get too hot.

Fun Facts about Lilly...

Lilly is a very sweet and gentle lizard. Her scales are smooth and feel like corn on the cob to the touch. She sheds her scales about every 3 months.